Politico tries to turn Conor Lamb's victory into a problem for Democrats.

[RandySF]

Conor Lamb’s triumph in Trump country is being heralded by conservative Democrats as a major victory in their ongoing turf battle with the far left — and an object lesson on the kind of candidates the party needs to promote and win to take the House in November.

The 33-year-old Marine veteran personally opposed abortion (while backing abortion rights), described a $15 minimum wage as “high” and ran an ad showing him doing target practice with a machine gun — none of which sit well with the ascendant Democratic base.

“He didn’t run on an identity politics, one-size fits all message,” said Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), co-chairman of the Blue Dog PAC, the fundraising arm for the conservative Democratic coalition. “He ran on the Blue Dog message.”

For the Blue Dogs, Lamb’s successful center-left campaign is proof that the Democratic Party’s “big tent” mentality is still a winning electoral strategy, despite an aggressive push from liberals for candidates that more closely adhere to the progressive purity made popular by the likes of Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

But while liberals have praised Lamb’s win, they’ve also been quick to caution that his message shouldn’t be copied by Democrats across the House map.


https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/15/conservative-democrats-midterms-conor-lamb-466544

[Cha]

1. There's all different kinds

of people in different Districts.. Conor Lamb knows PA18.. trump won it by 20 points in 2016..

He was the best candidate to get a Democratic WIN.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Same with Senator Doug Jones in Alabama

[RandySF]

2. Someone please tell me what makes him a right Wing Dem

He supports choice, medical marijuana, universal healthcare, unions, pension protection, protect Social Security and Medicare AND he opposes the Republican tax plan.

[Cha]

5. Those are Democratic Principles!

I don't know who's trying to push that disingenuous label on him.. or what agenda they might have.. but, it's only hogwash.

We got a Democratic win in a district formerly known as trump.. it's a miracle and Conor Lamb. Not just any Dem could have won.. don't think so.

[markpkessinger]

7. Here are Four:

• He supports Trump's trade policies, including the recently announced tariffs on aluminum and steel;
  
• He opposes a ban on assault weapons; one campaign ad showed him firing an AR-15 while emphasizing his love for shooting;
  
• he is opposed to any single-payer solution to healthcare
  
• he is a hawk.
  

That said, he's probably about as far left as can possibly be elected in PA's 18th.

[Demsrule86]

14. He is for single payer but wants to strengthen the ACA first which is what I believe...add a public

option no huge health care bills without a 60 majority in the Senate...and we have already lost badly twice on health care...94 and 10...lets play is smart this time...Lamb is just fine and those who call themselves 'left' (are they though?) should just be quiet...you want a majority than you will have moderate Dems... no other way. As for guns, he supports background checks. He was in the military...and he is a Democrat who will help with taking back the house...if the 'left' thinks they will get progressives in red districts, they need to sit down and look at a map....because we won't.

[markpkessinger]

26. I agree . . .

. . . we have to be realistic about what we can expect in a district like PA 18. But I was merely pointing out that the concerns some progressives have about him are not unfounded.

[Demsrule86]

27. I am not certain that the candidates the left left want can get elected anywhere but New York

City and California...they have done a crappy job selling their views ( and my view as a matter of fact but I will settle for a majority and what we can get for now)...and it is not our fault...they may want to sit at home waiting for the revolution while everything we worked hard for for generations disappears...I don't. So I have little patience these day with this group whining about a candidate who won an election in a district Democrats never win. And who if you look at his platform is a Democrat and bears no resemblance to the GOP...I mean many of them worship Sen. Sanders who has not voted consistently for gun control during his career. They just don't care about winning. Primaries exist for picking the candidate who can win...not as a purity exercise.

[markpkessinger]

31. I think the left can succeed well outside New York and California, PROVIDED . . .

. . . that voters are confident that Democrats have their backs economically speaking. Most people are not hardcore ideologues on social issues; even though they may have certain inclinations one one hot-button social issue or another, those issues aren't the primary drivers of the vote for most people -- economic security is. What won't cut it, however, is when Democrats talk a good game on the economy, then simply espouse a kind of kinder, gentler corporatism.

For too long, Democrats have treated economic policy and progress on social issues as some kind of zero sum game, and I don't believe they are. I think it is a false choice that plays into Republican hands. If Democrats are to succeed, we need to attract voters well beyond the middle management/professional/tech class. Blue collar workers are critical to any formula for success. And those workers, for the most part, will give the party a lot of leeway on social issues if they are confident that the party has their interests at heart.

[markpkessinger]

33. Sanders votes on gun control have been explained . . .

Sanders comes from a state that has both a high rate of gun ownership and a low homicide rate. Many voters who support Sanders in Vermont are independents and even Republicans (many of his supporters are precisely the kinds of people Democrats need to appeal to if they are to succeed nationally). Sanders was opposed to a nationwide waiting period, but was never opposed to states having waiting periods. The bills he voted against were bills that imposed a national waiting period (see http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/jul/10/generation-forward-pac/did-bernie-sanders-vote-against-background-checks-/ ). I understand Bernie's vote in the same way I understand Connor Lamb's position on guns (even though I would prefer it were otherwise). I agree Lamb's progressive critics should stop whining over an imperfect candidate for that seat.

I agree also that primaries are (or should be) about picking the candidate who can win. But picking a candidate who may indeed be extremely popular within the party but has very low appeal among independents is not a recipe for picking a candidate who can win nationally. Nationally, we need candidates who can appeal to a broader base than merely Democratic party loyalists. And as for doing a lousy job of selling their case, that's rather rich in light of the 2016 election, don't you think?

[Demsrule86]

36. You can't explain those votes really. And we need to pick candidates who can win in their

districts or states...no way a Democratic party picks candidates based on independents. And midterms are about turning out the base and capitalizing on the natural disadvantage for those of the president party in a midterm.

Sen Sanders voted to protect himself in gun loving Vermont. I don't blame him for that...you have to win re-election.

[RandySF]

22. I won't ask your age, but I remember when tariffs were widely supporters by Democrats.

[markpkessinger]

25. Tariffs can sometimes be helpful . . .

. . . but not on raw materials like steel and aluminum. Generally, tariffs work better as a means of protecting a particular end-use product industry.

I am 56, and yes, I remember that, too. I am not opposed to tariffs in all cases, but they need to be used very carefully.

[Demsrule86]

28. I believe in tariffs...but what Trump did won't help much and will hurt autos and those who depend

on steel to manufacture in this country.They will be less competitive. Trump as always helped his corrupt cronies get rich at our expense.

[Spider Jerusalem]

11. He's personally opposed to abortion and pro-2nd Amendment

Guns and abortion are two of the major "culture wars" issues of the last 30-odd years. And the majority of Americans are too goddamned stupid to understand that economics matters more when it comes to charting political ideologies.

[Demsrule86]

15. He supports a woman's right to choose...and wants background checks...and other things too...and we

will lose Roe V Wade if we don't take the Senate and the House back and the presidency.

[markpkessinger]

34. Background checks are fine, but that's only one step, and not the most important one . . .

. . . in addressing mass shootings. A ban on assault weapons is far more significant on that front, and Lamb opposed such bans.

[Demsrule86]

35. It is a step. And there is no way to get assault weapons banned at this moment...gun registration is

the most important thing...from manufacture to destruction...where are the guns? Sen. Sanders has in the past voted against some aspects of gun control. This is not a make or break Democratic issue...maybe someday, but I doubt it. I want such weapons banned too...but Lamb is way more reasonable than Saccone and it is a start.

[Demsrule86]

16. The last time we had a majority was using Dean's 50 state strategy...it is the only way.

[Demsrule86]

29. Lamb has called for gun control measures that I support.

Sen Sanders has not always voted for gun control measures you know.

[ProudLib72]

3. Not going to trust Politico anymore

Not if they want to feed the divisiveness. We need to tune this sort of crap out and present a unified front.

[backtoblue]

32. They also have ties to...

Cambridge Analytica... I found a video ( posted in VM)
The speaker mentioned advertising on politico during Trump's campaign.
It's a long video, but well worth watching.

[dalton99a]

4. Remember Al Franken

Fuck Politico

[struggle4progress]

6. Oh, dearie me! Whatever should we Democrats do? How can we live this down?

We have all been so distressed and abject since Conor's near defeat, that we are all quite beside ourselves



I'm afraid I'll have to visit in the powder room while I try to unknot my knickers

[The Polack MSgt]

20. + all the numbers

[Thunderbeast]

8. Are Democrats capable of learning?

There are core values in the party that embrace middle class opportunity, social and economic equality, and a robust safety net. We don't need to agree on every issue. This is a country full of diverse ideas of how we achieve those values.

In 2006, Howard Dean was the architect of a "fifty state" strategy that recruited candidates who could win. They did. Many of those "blue dogs" were not ready to embrace single payer in 2009, but most supported the ACA. It was the best deal that Obama could get. That vote cost most of those moderates their seats in the 2010 wipeout anyway.

Democrats took their eyes off of the ball, and let the state houses and Governor seats fall. Election maps were drawn to the benefit of the GOP. The Trump election was a direct result of that malpractice.

We are a diverse country. A majority of Americans do not check in with DU three times a day for enlightenment. We will be stronger if we listen to many voices, and balance our priorities to stay united.

Conor Lamb is an articulate and intelligent new Congressman. WHile we may not agree with all of his positions, we owe him a hearing on how he has come to his positions on issues where we disagree.

[Demsrule86]

17. I agree with Lamb way more than Saccone...and that is the bottom line isn't it? We elected a

Democrat. Right leaning Politico is worried we might do this across the country and win maybe 50 to 100 seats.

[nocalflea]

10. I stopped reading Politico awhile back.

I'm not surprised that they are still slanting their stories.

They are becoming a much more subtle version of Fox.

#Follow the money

[Civic Justice]

13. We must learn to "think for ourselves"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/11001931

[peggysue2]

18. Conor Lamb ran a campaign . . .

tailored made for his district, his people. But if anyone heard his victory speech, he spoke with a Democratic voice and he did it well, powerfully. In that speech, he spoke of his grandfather, an FDR Democrat, who believed that good Government can and should walk on the same side of the street as ordinary people, as well as reaching out, providing citizens and communities the ability to own and live their lives with promise and dignity.

That's our voice, regardless of where we fall on the Party's political spectrum. That's a national, Democratic voice and message, one that embraces and attracts a variety of voters, one that's been drowned out and distorted by the Republicans braying about FREEDOM. Lamb's voters were concerned about healthcare, the GOP's willingness to deconstruct what we have (however imperfect) and leave people with virtually nothing. Lamb's voters were concerned about Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the Republican's desire to privatize essential services. Lamb spoke to these concerns and the electorate, even in a Red Hot district, responded favorably. His strong Union message brought in workers to the cause, many of whom had voted for Trump in the GE but were seriously disillusioned. He and his army of volunteers generated conversations across the district: what kind of Government do we really want for ourselves, for our children, for the country's future?

Conor Lamb ran a very smart campaign. He spoke with a national Democratic voice and winning message--good Government works for the benefit of all our people--while addressing issues specific to his area--all politics is local.

That equation can be used elsewhere--the national voice + the regional specifics--for the wins we need in November.

[alarimer]

19. I think I've been wrong about Lamb

It seems like he was saying all the things many of us have been urging Democrats to say, out loud, like being vocally pro-union, instead of the usual wishy-washy bs. And I made a judgment, filtered through the media. A wrong one, probably.

I could not stand Jon Ossoff because every single time I heard him speak, he said a lot of things without actually saying anything at all and avoided taking any stand on much of anything. It seems Democrats have learned a thing or two since then. Which is good.

[NCTraveler]

21. Those unable to mentally separate local and national...

Political trends are either being purposefully deceptive or are truly ignorant.

This author has a serious case of one of those options.

[Wounded Bear]

23. All politics is local...

It sounds like Mr Lamb ran a good campaign, filled with those old fashioned ideas like going door to door and visiting all sections of his district, talking and listening to people who might vote for him.

Gee, who'd a thunk?

[NCTraveler]

24. I agree.

"All politics is local"

It's why I defined the deceptive aspect in terms of trends.

He ran a great campaign and was relentless in his efforts.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210355285

[ismnotwasm]

30. Politico always pulls this shit.